Original Observer Photography: February

Original Observer Photography: February

From an intimate lingerie shoot with supermodel Helena Christensen to a photo session with Radiohead's Thom Yorke and an ice cream shared with Paloma Faith, we present a multi-faceted showcase of the very best photography commissioned by the Observer this month

Thursday 28 February 2013 13.03 EST
First published on Thursday 28 February 2013 13.03 EST

Paloma Faith shot at Gelato Gusto Artisan Ice Cream in Gardner Street, Brighton, for a
Q&A in Observer Food Monthly.Alex Lake: 'I used real gelato/ice-cream in all the shots I did with Paloma. The only thing that made the ice-cream vanish faster than the fact that it was constantly melting under the lights was Paloma constantly spooning it into her mouth between shots, to the point where she would insist that I come over and try it too, refusing to hold down the spoon in her outstretched arm until I did. Paloma's pose would naturally flick from a brooding femme fatale to near hysterical child-like excitement when a new ice-cream was placed in front of her. She is an amazing subject for a photographer and her character is never lost within the impossibly grand clothes she wears. Chaotic and loads of fun'

Keaton Henson, singer-songwriter and artist, photographed at his flat in London for an
interview ahead of the release of his second album.Antonio Olmos: 'Henson suggested we go outside to the roof terrace next to his bedroom window. We did some pics in the drizzly rain and I saw his window sill full of cigarette butts...'For more from Antonio's shoot, click
here

Helena Christensen said in
our interview that she 'never actually wanted to be a model', yet she has spent 25 years as one of the world's most photographed women. Now she's revealing her own range of underwear for Triumph and was photographed exclusively for the Observer Magazine at Big Sky Studios in London.Make Up: Liz Pugh at Premier Hair.Hair: Richard Scorer at Premier Hair.Dog: Adele at Pet London

Model and actress Olga Kurylenko photographed at the Corinthia Hotel in London to accompany an
interview in the New Review.Katherine Rose: 'The little balcony from the hotel room I was supposed to shoot Olga in was a godsend. It makes such a difference to have a bit of colour rather than a beige room. Olga spent the shoot talking about how amazing her cabbage recipe is and that everyone should come to her house to try it'

Chiara Goia documented India's rice revolution for a
feature in Observer Food Monthly. In a village in India's poorest state, Bihar, farmers are growing world record amounts of rice – with no GM help and no herbicides. Here, people work on a rice field on the way to Nalanda, Bihar.Chiara Goia: 'This was taken at place where I stopped right before finishing my first day of shooting. I just loved the spontaneity of the scene and the repetitive and delicate gestures of these people who work and live for – and give thanks to – the rice'

A young woman carries a stack of straw in a field in Nalanda district, on the way to Nalanda, Bihar, India.Chiara Goia: 'It was a great story to do. Mostly because I have learned so much and met amazingly motivated people – motivated and enthusiastic about a completely natural way of cultivating.'Watch an audio slideshow of Chiara's work
here

Antonio Olmos covered the
Other Voices music festival in Derry, Northern Ireland, for us. When covering an event like this, photographers are asked more and more to tweet images and this shot of Bronagh Gallagher at the Glass Works was tweeted live

Super Hanz at Tinney's Bar in Derry.Antonio Olmos: 'When shooting with an iPhone, I mostly use the Hipstamatic app, which allows you to apply different films and lenses to get different filter effects. Unlike most photography Apps, you choose the filter beforehand and just shoot away, not stopping after every image taken to apply a filter'

Novelist Maggie O'Farrell photographed at home in Edinburgh to accompany an
interview. Her latest book is a portrait of an Irish family in crisis during the heatwave of 1976. 'My writing is tougher and much better since I had children,' says O'Farrell

Musician Matthew E White photographed at the Lexington pub in London for an
interview in the New Review.Katherine Rose: 'Matthew was really fun to work with. I love that his expression seems to suggest that he has no idea what his hair is doing. He was really grateful for the shoot, which is so rewarding from a photographer's point of view. People are often too self conscious to enjoy seeing the outcome of a shoot'

Eileen Thompson, who is featured in Ken Loach's documentary, The Spirit of 45, photographed at home in Southport, Merseyside.Gary Calton: 'She said to me that it was "nice to have someone different to talk to". Born in 1920, Eileen has witnessed a century the like of which will probably never be seen again. It was good to talk and to listen to her stories.'Read the piece on the making of the documentary in this Sunday's Observer New Review

Sam Watts, who is featured in Ken Loach's documentary, The Spirit of 45, Photographed at home in Bootle, Merseyside.Gary Calton: 'Every picture tells a story. Sam's story is written all over this image. Clothes to keep warm; medicine for ill health; curtains closed to keep in the heat; 'Che' card; Communist monument; image of Ho Chi Minh and, in pride of place, an image of him being dragged away from a poll tax demonstration during Margaret Thatcher's visit to Liverpool. "They dragged us off in a black maria and locked us up for four hours" he said with pride.'Read the piece on the making of the documentary in this Sunday's Observer New Review

The Sound of Mull looking towards the Inner Hebridean island of Mull, photographed while covering a
feature on the conflict between small-boat fishermen and the industrial trawlers on the west coast of Scotland

Interviewer Tim Lewis: 'It's been a long day at the end of a long week and Stephen Daldry needs a drink. But before, that a cigarette. "I'm on a pack-and-a-half a day at the moment," he says, as he ducks out of an airless, windowless rehearsal room that smells, in the opinion of the Observer's photographer, "of actor".'Daldry was photographed at the Dominion Theatre, London, for the
interview

Casey Legler, the first woman to be signed exclusively as a menswear model.Julian Broad: 'Casey was a gangly hurricane – we were all smitten. Wonderful energy and fast – keeps you on your toes … I like that. Diamond mouth was her plan – she has lots of plans ... Such fun to work with. I'm sure we will work together again soon.'See more of Julian's photographs and read an interview with Casey in this Sunday's Observer Magazine. For more of Julian's images click
here

Aniello Arena photographed in the Teatro di Volterra, Tuscany, Italy. Arena, who is serving a life sentence for killing three men when a hitman for the mafia, is now a prolific actor.
His remarkable story was told to Ed Vulliamy in the New Review.Katherine Rose: 'I've never had such a direct experience of how forgiveness and opportunity can transform someone's life. Going to Volterra to photograph such a character was truly enlightening'

Dylan Duffus, who was affiliated with the notorious Burger Boy street gang in Birmingham and is now featuring in the documentary One Mile Away, which tells the story of
the Burger Boys' bitter dispute with the Johnson Crew and how they have become reconciled.Gary Calton: 'If I take an image with a camera phone, I am taking it for a reason. I spent three hours sitting in on the interview with the gang members. All had been to prison multiple times. In the space of 40 minutes I had taken a group image of the gang and was sat in the bedroom of a 21-year-old gang member listening to him rap with his friend. I took portraits with my camera phone. It was unobtrusive and I had the ability to email the image to them immediately. In short, it broke down barriers. It made them feel at ease'